glider towing

[006]

my first message, and my apologies if this is
an old thread however is it mandatory to have any glider towing experience ?
Secondly,
i feel privaledged to have access to this site and be a member so i may be able
to clarify what would otherwise be a labour intensive exercise.

[Pielander]

Welcome to the forum 006!

You need to have special training and be signed off as competent by an instructor before you can tow gliders. Hope this helps.

Pie.

[ickle black box]

006,

Do you fly gliders already, or have you done so in the past ?. Where I used to fly, they wanted around 90hrs power, and a fair amount of gliding experience (almost able to be a gliding instructor). The demand for tug pilots varies, there are plenty of tug pilots available at weekends, but not mid-week.

ickle

[Pielander]

Haha - 500hrs powered plus Silver C at Hus Bos! Not many takers, surprisingly :)

[006]

many thanks guys for the replies, i'm planning on a PPL/IMC/Night/200 hrs and frozen ATPL modular/FI over the next 3 years.

And am starting at 38 and at present training to qualify as an English teacher so i can go abroad if need be to get some tax free monies for the expensive parts.

[The Hooded Claw]

The miminum experience allowed is at least six tows between the tug pilot and the glider pilot ie if both have done 3, then thats OK. However you are unlikely to find a club that will allow you to tow without a little more practice!!

Most clubs will also prefere to use their own members, so most tug pilots are glider pilots too. There are a few exceptions however, especially now it's getting difficult to find pilots to do a seasons towing due to the scrapping of the 700 hour route.

In summary, if you want to tow gliders,

1, Join a gliding club
2, Get some hours (100 should do)
3, Get some taildragger experience (a lot of tugs are!)
4, Set aside 6 months and apply to the larger clubs to do a seasons towing.


Good luck!!

[006]

to the hooded claw.. many thanks...
i was advised last week that to enter into share for something like a Jodel d9, or a Luton Minor i'd need a 100 hours and a tail dragging qualification too...seems coincidentally worthwhile now

[ickle black box]

I've heard that this year, some clubs had a big problem finding residential tug pilots, i.e. a pilot to live on the airfield all summer, and tow every day. One large UK club is using a European pilot, with no gliding experience.

ickle

[Meatbomber]

i've been glider-towing for years .. but if you just see it for a way to build hours you might be in the wrong spot.

Towing gliders makes you part of a group sport ! That's how you have to see it.

And it's not only fun sometimes, i'm towing on an Austrian Field in the Alps, we are pretty busy here with guest pilots .. folks you've never seen before and it sometimes stretches your trust into the ability of these folks when you just watch them getting ready for another flying day ;)

Saying these if you go towing:

a) HAVE FUN!
b) Keep your head on a swivel (gliders are really really hard to spot sometimes)
c) Never hesitate to pull the emergency cut away if something isn't going right (had my tail pulled up at low alt 1 times and 2 times at higher alt.. plus once cleared the trees of the departureend by inches because a guy had his spoilers not locked)

Cheers
Phil

[Skybiter]

Contact a bloke called Brian Spreckley somewhere in France (sorry, can't be more specific). He's an ex World champion glider boy and he brings a bunch of blokes out to South Africa each year to take on record attempts and other fun stuff. Usually has a full time tug pilot staying with them on the airstrip. Different bloke each year so have a bash, you might get lucky.

[ickle black box]

His contact details can be found at www.soaringclub.com (http://www.soaringclub.com)

ickle

[006]

many thanks guys for your kindest info very much appreciated